Article of footwear

ABSTRACT

A sole has a toe end and a heel end. A heel is located at the heel end and has one portion closer to and another portion farther from the toe end. A pivot connects the one portion with the sole so that the heel can pivot relative to the sole about a transverse axis extending parallel to the plane of the sole. One or more biasing springs are interposed between and bear upon the heel and the heel end of the sole, first to normally maintain the other portion of the heel spaced from the sole and to resiliently resist pivoting of the heel toward the sole. The opposite ends of the springs are connected to the heel and the sole, respectively.

United States Patent [191 Pavia 1 June 3, 1975 ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR [22]Filed: Nov. 23, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 418,495

1,014,999 6/1952 France 36/38 Primary Examiner-Alfred R. Guest Attorney,Agent, or Firm-Michael S. Striker [5 7] ABSTRACT A sole has a toe endand a heel end. A heel is located at the heel end and has one portioncloser to and another portion farther from the toe end. A pivot connectsthe one portion with the sole so that the heel can pivot relative to thesole about a transverse axis ex tending parallel to the plane of thesole. One or more biasing springs are interposed between and bear uponthe heel and the heel end of the sole, first to normally maintain theother portion of the heel spaced from the sole and to resiliently resistpivoting of the heel toward the sole. The opposite ends of the springsare connected to the heel and the sole, respectively.

7 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION The present invention relates generally to an article offootwear, and more particularly to an improved article of footwearhaving a spring-loaded heel.

Articles of footwear are known in a variety of types and styles which istoo great to mention individually. Heretofore, however, to my knowledgearticles of footwear having a spring-loaded heel have not been proposedin the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, accordingly, an object of the presentinvention to provide such an article of footwear having a spring loadedheel.

In pursuance of this object, and of others which will become apparenthereafter, one feature of the invention resides, in an article offootwear, in a combination comprising a sole having a toe end and a heelend. A heel is located at the heel end and has one portion closer to andanother portion farther from the toe end. Pivot means connects the oneportion with the sole, so that the heel can pivot about a transverseaxis extending parallel to the plane of the sole. Biasing means isinterposed between and bears upon the heel end of the sole, so as tonormally maintain the other portion spaced from the sole and toresiliently resist pivoting of the heel toward the sole. Connectingmeans connects the biasing means with the heel and the sole,respectively.

The advantages of the improved article of footwear are manifold. On theone hand, it provides a pleasant cushioning effect when a user walks.

Again, the novel article of footwear has been found to be an aid inpreventing or at least retarding the development of varicose veins,especially in the case of pregnant wearers where the development ofvaricose veins is a particularly frequent and severe problem.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a vertical section throughone embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but through another embodiment ofthe invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring firstly to FIG. 1,which illustrates an article of footwear primarily intended for men who.as a rule, are heavier and therefore require greater support, and

which article will be seen to have a sole provided with a further plate6. A nute 3 is threaded onto this free end.

A heel is provided, having the illustrated groundengaging part andhaving a second part which is constituted by a plate 7 secured (as bybolting) to the groundengaging part. That portion of the heel which iscloser to the toe end of the sole is bent upwardly towards the sole asindicated at 7 and formed with a hollow extending transversely of thesole and through which a pivot pin 8 extends which is secured in lugsformed as part of the lower plate 6 and projecting downwardly as shown.Of course, instead of the pivot pin 8 it would be possible to use screwsor the like to pivot the heel, A strengthening plate 9 can still beinserted into the sole and the illustrated screw is used to hold thisstrengthening plate 9 and the front end of the plate 6 against the sole.

In this embodiment there is utilized a plurality of helical compressionsprings 4, of which the one at the righthand side'of FIG. 1 will be seento have one of its end convolutions secured to the screw 2 by means ofthe nut 3 threaded onto the same. At the other end of the right-handspring 4 an end convolution is secured to the heel by means of theillustrated screw 5 the head of which engages the end convolution andwhich screw is threaded through the plate 7 into the heel. The othersprings can be similarly secured. Their number may be selected at will,and they may be readily removable so that the number of springs can bedecreased or increased as desired by a user in order to obtain themaximum comfort and, possibly, also a desired level of elevation.

FIG. 2 is reminiscent of FIG. 1 and is particularly directed to a ladiesshoe. Like elements are identified by like reference numerals as inFIG. 1. It will be noted that the portion 7 is bent at a somewhat morepronounced angle to obtain the desired higher heel configuration for aladies shoe, and that only a single spring 4 is utilized in thisembodiment. Of course, it is conceivable to use more than one spring ifdesired. It will also be noted that reference numeral 10 identifies awasher which is held by the head of the screw 3 and serves to clamp theterminal convolution of the spring 4 against the plate 6. A similarwasher is used in conjunction with the screw 5.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more together, may also find a useful application in other types ofconstructions differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in anarticle of footwear, it is not intended to be limited to the detailsshown, since various modifications and structural changes may be madewithout departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can by applying current knowledgereadily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this inventionand, therefore. such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent isset forth in the appended claims:

1. In an article of footwear, a combination comprising a sole having atoe end and a heel end; a heel located at said heel end and having oneportion closer to and another portion farther from said toe end. saidheel including a ground-engaging part having a surface facing said sole,and a plate part overlying said surface and having in the region of saidone portion a bend extending towards said sole; pivot means connectingsaid bend with said sole, so that said heel can pivot about a transverseaxis extending parallel to the plane of said sole; biasing meansinterposed between and bearing upon said heel and said heel end of saidsole, so as to normally maintain said other portion spaced from saidsole and to resiliently resist pivoting of the heel toward said sole:and connecting means connecting said biasing means with said heel andsaid sole. respectively.

2. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said biasing meanscomprises biasing spring means having end portions respectively locatedadjacent to said heel and said sole; and wherein said connecting meansconnects said end portions to said heel and said sole, re-

4 spectively.

3. A combination as defined in claim 1,'wherein said biasing meanscomprises biasing spring means having one portion connected with saidsole, and another end portion connected with said plate part.

4. A combination as defined in claim 3, wherein said connecting meanscomprises screw means connecting said plate part with saidground-engaging part.

5. A combination as defined in claim 3, wherein said biasing springmeans comprises a single biasing spring interposed between said sole andsaid other portion of I said heel.

6. A combination as defined in claim 3, wherein said biasing springmeans comprises a plurality of biasing springs at least one of which iscloser to and at least one other of which is farther from said pivotmeans.

7. A combination as defined in claim 3, wherein said biasing springmeans comprises helical compression spring means.

1. In an article of footwear, a combination comprising a sole having atoe end and a heel end; a heel located at said heel end and having oneportion closer to and another portion farther from said toe end, saidheel including a ground-engaging part having a surface facing said sole,and a plate part overlying said surface and having in the region of saidone portion a bend extending towards said sole; pivot means connectiNgsaid bend with said sole, so that said heel can pivot about a transverseaxis extending parallel to the plane of said sole; biasing meansinterposed between and bearing upon said heel and said heel end of saidsole, so as to normally maintain said other portion spaced from saidsole and to resiliently resist pivoting of the heel toward said sole;and connecting means connecting said biasing means with said heel andsaid sole, respectively.
 1. In an article of footwear, a combinationcomprising a sole having a toe end and a heel end; a heel located atsaid heel end and having one portion closer to and another portionfarther from said toe end, said heel including a ground-engaging parthaving a surface facing said sole, and a plate part overlying saidsurface and having in the region of said one portion a bend extendingtowards said sole; pivot means connectiNg said bend with said sole, sothat said heel can pivot about a transverse axis extending parallel tothe plane of said sole; biasing means interposed between and bearingupon said heel and said heel end of said sole, so as to normallymaintain said other portion spaced from said sole and to resilientlyresist pivoting of the heel toward said sole; and connecting meansconnecting said biasing means with said heel and said sole,respectively.
 2. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein saidbiasing means comprises biasing spring means having end portionsrespectively located adjacent to said heel and said sole; and whereinsaid connecting means connects said end portions to said heel and saidsole, respectively.
 3. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein saidbiasing means comprises biasing spring means having one portionconnected with said sole, and another end portion connected with saidplate part.
 4. A combination as defined in claim 3, wherein saidconnecting means comprises screw means connecting said plate part withsaid ground-engaging part.
 5. A combination as defined in claim 3,wherein said biasing spring means comprises a single biasing springinterposed between said sole and said other portion of said heel.
 6. Acombination as defined in claim 3, wherein said biasing spring meanscomprises a plurality of biasing springs at least one of which is closerto and at least one other of which is farther from said pivot means.